Electric httmidierer



R. J. PATTERSON. ELECTRIC HUMIDIFIER. APPLICATION FILED IAN. 2. 19m.

1, 3 1 3, 832. Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

6 WITNESSES INVENTOR flaw PW d /%rr/m=a0/v I TTOR R. J. PATTERSON.ELECTRIC HUMIDIFIER. APPLICATION FILED 1AN.2, 19m.

Patented Aug. 1%), 191$).

3 SHEETS SHEEI Z 87 x a a ATTORNEYS WITNESSES R. J. PATTERSON.

ELECTRIC HUMIDIFIER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2. 1919.

Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- @000 o OGOO A TTORA/E V8 v and. by means RALPH JOSHUAPATTERSON, 0F BERLIN, NEW HAMISHIBE.

ELECTRIC HUMIDIFIER.

Specification ot Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

Application filed January 2, 1918. Serial No. 269,194.

To all whom .26 may concern Be it known that I, RALPH J. PATTERSON, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Berlin, in the county ofCoos and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements -in Electric Humidifiers, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is an improvement in electric humidifiers, and has for itsobject to provide a simple, inexpensive device of the characterspecified capable in small sizes of attachment to an ordinary lightingcircuit ture in the air of a room may be held at any desired degree. I

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the humidifier, Fig. 2is a longitudinal vertical section,

Fig.3 isa section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking inthe direction ofthe arrows adjacent the line,

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the cover,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified construction,

Fig. 6 is a front view ofa modified construction, and

7 is a vertical section through the same.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the improvedhumidifier consists of a box-like body 1 and a cover2.

the said body and cover being formed of sheet metal of suitable weightand the cover is composed of two integral portions extending at anacuteangle with respect to each other, somewhat similar to the shape of ahouse roof. 4

This cover has outlets, one near each end at the apex thereof, and eachoutlet consists of an outer wall 3 and an inner wall 4 spaced apart fromthe outer wall and of less height, as shown in Fig. 3. The cover has adepending flange 5 near each side edge, the said flanges fitting withinthe side walls of the body 1, and the cover also has end flanges 6 whichfit within the end walls of the body.

The flanges 5 are formed by strips which are secured to the underface ofthe cover, one edge of each strip cover while the other edge dependsfree, and it is the depending edges that fit within the body. Thearrangement is such that the body does not fit down closely against theupper of which the amount of moisbeing secured to the edges of the sidewalls'as shown, in Fig. 3, ,but are spaced apart to .form air passages,and the flange has a longitudinally extending series ofopenings 7 atthis point, for permitting the passage of the air. It will be noticedreferring, to Figs. 2 and 3 that the wick is spaced apart from the coverand from the side walls of the body, so that there is a free circulationof air upwardly from theop'enings 7 between the wick and the coverwallsand out at the outlets 4. Referring to Fig. 3,. it will be noticed thatthe body 1 has at each end a species of gable 8, and each gable hasoutwardly extending .flanges or webs 9, upon which the cover rests atits ends. These flanges 9 hold the cover in spaced relation, so thatthere is a free passage of air through the openings 7.

The body 1 is adapted to contain water, and in one end wall the body hasan inlet chute 10 formed from material of the end, for permitting waterto be inserted in the body. The end provided with the outlet alsocarries an electric heater, indicated generally at 11, and this heater,which may be of any usual or desired construction, is supplied withcurrent from a lighting circuit by means of a cable 12 having a screwplug 13 which may be inserted in a light socket. The heater extendsalmost the full length of the body, as shown, above the water level, anda wick is provided, indicated at 14, for

raising the water by capillary attraction.

This wick, as shown, is of a length to extend from one end of the bodyto the other and of a width to extend from the'bottom of the body upnear the side wall and near the roof tothe top thereof, and thence downalong the opposite side again to the bottom of the casing, dipping intothe water at both side edges.

The wick is held in place by a sheet 15 of foraminous material, as, forinstance, wire cloth, the said wire cloth being of sufiicient stiffnessto hold its shape and to hold the wick in proper relative position withrespect to the remaining parts. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, it will benoticed that this wick extends beneath the outlet passages 3, so thatthe air passing upwardly through these passages must pass over the wickimpregnated with moisture.

In the operation of the heater it is placed upon a suitable support, as,for instance, a table or radiator, and the plug 13 is engaged with anelectric light socket.

A suitable amount of water is placed within the body and the device isready for operation. When the current is turned through the heater, aportion of thewater'absorbed by the, wick will be evaporated, and willbe carried away by the warm airpassing out through the outlets 3.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be noticed that the edges of theside walls of the body and the edgesof the side walls ofth'e roof arebeaded, and that the webs 9 have lateral flanges at their free ends forthe purpose of strengthening and'reinforcing these parts.

When it is desired to clean the device or to gain accessto the interiorfor any purpose, the cover may be removed by slipping out the flanges 5and'6.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 5, the body 16 whichcarries the water hasthe gables 17 which. however, instead of beingtriangular, are rounded at their tops; The heater 18 is carried by oneend wall or gable and is supplied with current by the cable 19. A cover20 is shaped to fit over the gables and over the open top of the body,and this cover has ventilating openings 21 "corresponding to the outlets34 of Fig. 1. Other openings 22 are provided at the junction of the bodywith the cover, the said openings 22 being in the flangesbeneath theoverhang of the cover as in Fig. 3.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7, a trough 24is provided, for containing water, and thistrough supports a secondtrough 25 by means of uprights 2-6 which connect the two troughs, theuprights being secured at their tops to the side wall of the top 25, andat their bottoms to the trough 24.

A wick indicated at 27, to which may be secured a-strip or series ofstrips with its central portion dipping into the water into the trough25 and with its ends depending into the trough 24. The trough 24 carriesa heater 28, which in the present instance is an electric heatersupplied with current by the cable 29.

The trough 24 seats within'a cup-shaped base which has supporting lugs31, and which has a central opening through which the cable 29 may pass.A body 32 engages within the base at its lower end, and is detachablyconnected therewith, by means of pins 33 and bayonet slots 34.

A cover 35 is connected with the top of the body, and this body hasannular series 36 and-37 of openings near its bottom and top,respectively, and it will be evident that air may circulate through theinclosing casing and over the wick, through the openings 36-37 enteringthrough the opening 36 and being discharged from the opening 37 The airis thus thoroughly humidified in its passage. The base 30 has handles 38for convenience in handling the same.

I claim: a

A device of the character specified, comprising a pair of tanks arrangedin vertically spaced relation and rigidly connected, the tanks beingadapted to contain water, a wick dipping into both tanks, and a casinginclosing the tanks and the wick and having ventilating openings nearthe top and bottom of the same.

RALPH JOSHUA PATTERSON.

